Best Record Player Under $500 Reviews – Top Quality For The Price

When looking for the best turntable under $500, you can easily get confused by the variety of models on the market. Therefore, this review is intended for those who want to buy an inexpensive but optimal option. You will find in this article a fully automatic, working with Sonos or a multifunctional vinyl record player. It all depends only on your preferences. Taking into account that this category of modern turntables does not assume an audiophile level, I will consider turntables by a combination of sound, quality of construction (durability), and separate bonuses and chips that may not relate to vinyl directly but will diversify your audio system.

Our pick

Fluance RT85

Best turntable under $500

The definitive vinyl record listening experience for beautifully warm and natural music, transporting you into the center of the performance with turntable Fluance RT85. Read the full review.

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Turntables under $500 comparison table

Best turntable under 500 dollars reviews

Fluance RT85 – best overall

The Fluance RT85 tops my chart because it looks as much like what should be called a vinyl turntable as possible. It doesn’t even have a built-in preamplifier because every vinyl connoisseur will tell you that an external phono stage is the better solution.

This turntable for $500 is made of good materials. The MDF case is quite heavy (16.76 lbs) and has three anti-resonance rubber feet. So, if you place the RT85 on a flat surface, you probably won’t have to worry about weighing it down. Plus, the acrylic platter adds quality (better than aluminum) and weight, but no slip mat is included. Not that this is a problem today, but when buying something of more or less quality in the budget category (well, close to mid-level), you are bound to get compromises. The glossy surface (several color variants) looks very nice, and the outside belt adds elegance and style, but when testing, I was armed with gloves because any touch leaves prints.

The Fluance RT85 can play records at 33 and 45 RPM speeds. That’s the standard for most inexpensive turntables. Its aluminum tonearm has an S-shape, widely considered the most suitable for extracting sounds from record tracks. But the declared Autostop function of the turntable works with varying success. If I understood correctly from testing other models of the brand and customer reviews – this is a “disease” of Fluance RT. In this regard, the tonearm design is not the most reliable; it looks unconvincing and makes me doubt its durability. If you compare this tonearm with the one installed on the Pro-Ject T1 from my list, the difference is noticeable. The latter tonearm is tight and doesn’t feel like I’m about to rip it off. So, for the RT85, I recommend handling it with extreme care.

The turntable’s stylus is equipped with an Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge, considered an absolute leader among budget and medium segment users. Of course, Ortofon has more expensive variants, but replacing this one will cost you half the price of Fluance RT85. Anyway, I don’t think you’ll have to replace it anytime soon. It does its job very well, and overall, the model in question sounds wide, as if enveloping you with sound. The sound is clear, warm, and rich, and I didn’t encounter any lags, even at quite a high volume. The player lost a bit of detail for a more dynamic VAST record, but it sounds very good compared to the other models in my review.

Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB-BK – also great

Also, a great, fully manual vinyl player for less than 500 dollars that looks like a toy version of a DJ deck is the Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB-BK. I can well imagine how happy a teenager with a passion for analog music might be to receive such a gift. This is the most inexpensive model on my chart, replacing the popular AT-LP120-USB that once gained popularity among users. Do not consider it as a professional turntable. For an absolutely acceptable price, you get not only the most reliable but also an interesting device with three speeds: 33,45, and 78 RPM.

The case and all the control parts are made of plastic. The turntable has normal for its category weight of 17.6 lbs, aluminum platter, and DC servo motor (Direct drive). The AT-LP120XUSB-BK, like the Fluance RT85, has an S-shaped tonearm equipped with a detachable headshell and a replaceable AT-VMN95E cartridge. This cartridge is very common among budget segment users; it’s easy to buy if it breaks. And the cartridge is inexpensive. Unlike the RT85 set, I found a felt mat here. But honestly, throw it away immediately or find some other use for it because while listening to a record, it just rolled off (I smiled at this point because when it comes to low budget, you always spend more in the end). Purchase a rubber one (I had one). Overall, the overall impression is plastic, plastic, and once again, plastic. But friends – AT-LP120XUSB-BK will not disappoint you for your money.

So, the built-in preamplifier is expected to be too simple. It is quiet and inexpressive, but the picture played with bright colors when I connected the turntable to an external amplifier. Even the dynamic Bee Gees sounded quite convincing.

You must have noticed the magic letters USB in the model name. I’ll tell you right away that the better a turntable is, the fewer features it has (never a phono stage, no additional connectors, and “features” in the form of wireless functions and so on). But if we’re talking about something simple and affordable, then you’re not an audiophile, and you may want to record your favorite tracks on your PC (I don’t know why it’s necessary in today’s world, in the presence of a huge number of resources with streaming, but I have to describe all the options if they are stated).

Denon DP-300F – fully automatic

I can offer a fully automatic record player, Denon DP-300F, for those not interested in manual operating. Its price is somewhere between the price of Fluance RT85 and Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB-BK, and the turntable is a very attractive DC motor, belt-drive model with two playback speeds (33 and 45 RPM) and plug-and-play operation.

Yes, the DP-300F is very beautiful (for me). The glossy, smooth surface appeals to the eye, but I’m shocked by such designs because I imagine they require maintenance. Dust is vinyl’s first enemy, but the nice fact is that the dust cover can be closed while playing a record. I also always wear gloves when testing decks with this design. The case weighs 12 pounds because this beautiful chassis is made of plastic, and the feet are not adjustable. So the first time I turned it on, the turntable started literally bouncing around on the table I put it on. It bounces from the speakers’ sound or even when I walk by, so weigh the bottom first to hear what the Denon DP-300F sounds like.

This model, like the previous two, has an S-shaped tonearm. But the CN-6518’s stylus didn’t impress me. Well, let’s say I heard music, but analog sound usually evokes emotions, and in this case, even my favorite Fleetwood Mac record sounded flat, as if the needle was plucking only the surface of the song, not its depth. Replacing it with a more expensive cartridge changed the picture completely, even though the built-in phono stage leaves much to be desired (as they all do). If you want to really listen to vinyl, be sure to get an external preamplifier. Can you hear it? Absolutely. Don’t spare money, and you’ll be listening to even inexpensive turntables for years, without noise, hum, and with full-fledged sound.

So, Denon DP-300F can become an analog for the more expensive Fluance RT85. At the same time, it is not as complicated as its cheaper Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB-BK. Connect it to your speakers, and it will turn itself off and remove the stylus from the record. What could be simpler than that? Its gorgeous design will appeal to many and fit into modern interiors, but stock up on a pair of gloves and always keep a dust cloth nearby. Gloss requires maintenance.

Victrola Stream Onyx – works with Sonos

I can’t avoid the Victrola Stream Onyx model, although my personal opinion about the current trends of wireless analog music streaming (even though this expression itself is an oxymoron) is extremely negative. Still, I realize that many segment users are eager to access modern technologies. So, in front of me is a turntable compatible with Sonos.

To begin with, it’s worth saying that the Stream Onyx is made of MDF but covered in plastic, and to me, it doesn’t look stylish. I had the black version for testing; the silver one looks prettier in photos, but I haven’t seen it in person. But the chassis is equipped with silicone feet. They don’t really save from vibrations because the weight of 12.13 pounds doesn’t imply good anti-resonance (the same as with Denon DP-300F, jumping on the spot, as if the vinyl player decided to become the healthiest in the world and is constantly charging). However, I would like to point out the very smooth rotation of the die-cast aluminum platter. AC Motor with belt drive also showed quite stable, almost silent operation (I didn’t hear it while playing records, but if you start the turntable at idle, you can still hear it). You’ll like the silicone mat better than the felt one from Audio-Technica (haha, I can’t stop being sarcastic about it).

By standard, we have two spin speeds (33 and 45 RPM), a removable cartridge (AT-VM95E, similar to the one on the Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB-BK), and adjustments for anti-skating and stylus downforce. But the Victrola Stream Onyx has a straight tonearm. In general, considering the emphasis on vinyl digitization, this is quite insignificant.

To be fair, you can refuse wireless connection with the speakers (via Wi-Fi) and connect normal wired speakers to RCA connectors. But then I don’t see the point of buying Victrola rather than Fluance RT85. So, I will continue, albeit without enthusiasm. The whole point is that vinyl is valued precisely for the authenticity of analog sound, and its digitization contributes to the loss of real studio sound, even when it comes to inexpensive turntables. But modern times, modern mores, and the result is vinyl on Sonos… Forgive my uninhibited skepticism.

Nevertheless, if you abstract away from my ranting, the system sounds good overall, and the signal is stable. I’m just going to assume it’s not a vinyl turntable but something similar to it. With regular speakers and an external preamp, the Stream Onyx sounds pretty good, too.

Pro-Ject T1 – minimalistic design

The Pro-Ject T1 record player could well take the first place in my review, but it loses to the Fluance RT85 in several respects. If we compare them briefly, both turntables are fully manual, play records at two speeds, 33 and 45 RPM, have no additional functions, and are models of companies that know much about vinyl.

The Pro-Ject T1 has the most minimalist design imaginable. The very thin CNC-machined plinth (no cavities), rubberized feet, and glass platter not only look mega-stylish, but at 8.4 pounds, it’s pretty stable against vibrations. Still, during testing, a delicate ear can pick up the resonance, so try to place the turntable away from the speakers on a surface level as possible (I used a level). By the way, it comes with a felt mat, but on the glass platter (which adds weight and stability of operation), it holds much better than Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB-BK (God, who came up with such a long name for the turntable?). From the minuses, we can note the presence of a built-in phono-corrector (Fluance RT85 does not have it, which indicates a more professional approach) and a straight tonearm (which loses to the S-shaped one). Still, its design is one piece, and therefore, it causes a feeling of reliable fixing (after all, here, semi-automatics are not supposed). The tonearm is tight, going up and down, but smooth, so I got it onto the record without jerkiness or unnecessary tension.

The Pro-Ject T1, like the Fluance RT85, has an Ortofon cartridge but the OM5e version. This version is significantly cheaper than the Ortofon 2M Blue, but you can replace it with another. While I understand the advantages of more expensive cartridges, it won’t matter much for most users when we’re looking at the fairly inexpensive segment of vinyl turntables. That is to say, all the above can tell you (well, or I do) that what you have in front of you is a good machine with longevity potential, all elements of which are aimed at extracting a very good record player sound. And indeed, in practice, the T1 makes a very good impression. And I am once again convinced that if a brand produces good equipment, it does not let itself rest even on its inexpensive models. And although the built-in preamplifier is nothing supernatural, most users will find it quite suitable. It saves you from the instant extra cost (unlike the Fluance RT85).